The Incredible Flying Paper Tube

Do you stink at making a decent paper airplane? I do. So break the mold and follow this Instructable to make an awesome flying tube! This design was supposedly created by world-record paper airplane thrower John Collins. It's easy and only requires a single sheet of paper. Let's get started!

Step 1: Fold It

Start with your paper in "landscape" orientation and fold down the top third of the paper. It doesn't have to be precise, so long as its at least 1/3 of the paper. Make a nice crease.

Step 2: Fold It Some More

Now fold the top down to the edge that you folded down. Do it one more time. See the first two pictures. Again, make good creases. Now let's make the paper want to be tube-shaped. Bend the folded part of the paper, with the folded part on the inside. You can do this with your hands, or by rubbing it on the edge of a table. When you're done, the length of the paper should have a slight curve to it.

Step 3: Tubify It

Before we give this craft its tube shape, unfold the very last fold you made in the previous step. Only the last fold. Now roll the paper into a tube. Tuck about 1 and 1/2 inches of the end of the paper into the main crease on the other side. Do you remember that fold you just undid? Re-fold it now, towards the inside. Once you're done, use your fingers to smooth the end and form a nice round shape.

Congratulations; you're done!

Step 4: Throw It

There are many ways to throw this thing. My favorite is like a football. Hold the tube lightly between your fingers and thumb and throw it like a football, letting it roll off your fingers to make a nice tight spiral. Using the same grip, you can also try throwing it straight, with no spiral, like a dart.

You can also hold it from the back end with your fingers and fling it that way. Basically, as long as the folded end is in the front, you will have fairly good luck with your throws.

By popular demand (okay, one person), here is a short video of the Incredible Flying Paper Tube in flight:

The way I learned this is to fold up a little fin with the loose edge in order induce spin. Also, you can make these in a left hand or right hand configuration by changing which side you tuck on the inside (although a right-hander can throw the left hand version underhand and vice-versa).

On an episode of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation with Mo Rocca, they showed a man who invented a launcher for a large, tough foam version of these -- for dogs to chase! OH, here's a link: http://www.cbsdreamteam.com/episodes/doggie-rocket-toy/